Cleaning apparatus

ABSTRACT

An improved cleaning apparatus comprising means for mechanically imparting high frequency pulses to washing fluid directed, at high pressure, through a conduit against a surface to be cleaned. The pulses are imparted to the fluid by directing the fluid through an orifice within the conduit toward a reed loosely mounted intermediate its ends within the conduit. The reed has configuration to cause it to vibrate when the fluid is directed at it.

United States Patent Johnstone Aug. 29, 1972 [54] CLEANING APPARATUS2,947,312 8/ 1960 Heinicke ..134/ 191 Inventor: Cy il P k JohnstoneMorin 3,123,305 3/1964 Eisenkraft "239/102 Heights Quebec, Canada3,278,165 10/1966 Gaffney .259 R 3,356,345 12/1967 Goodman ..259/1 R 1Asslgneer North American Corporaflon, 3,410,529 11/1968 Simonetti..259/4 Chicago, Ill. [22] Filed: Oct 2 197 Primary Examiner-M. HensonWood, Jr.

Assistant Examiner-Edwin D. Grant [21] Appl. NO; 79,878 Attorney Alanswabey [52] US. Cl ..239/102, 134/1, 259/DIG. 43, ABSTRACT 5 1 I t Cl B5 3 An improved cleaning apparatus comprising means for d 2 4mechanically imparting high frequency pulses to wash- 1 0 13 3 5 6 2 4ing fluid directed, at high pressure, through a conduit against asurface to be cleaned. The pulses are imparted to the fluid by directingthe fluid through an [56] References C'ted orifice within the conduittoward a reed loosely UNITED STATES P ATENTS mounted intermediate itsends within the conduit. The reed has configuration to cause it tovibrate when the 3,408,050 10/ 1968 Jacobs ..259/4 fluid is directed atit 3,169,013 2/1965 Jones ..259/4 2,657,021 10/ 1953 Cottell et a1....259/1 R 11 Claims, 4 Drawing figures Patented Aug. 29, 1972 3,687,369

INVENTOR Cyril Patrick JQHNSTONE A TTORNE Y CLEANING APPARATUSBACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This inventionrelates to improvements in a fluid cleaning system. More particularly,the invention relates to improvements in a fluid cleaning system, whichsystem imparts pulses to a cleaning fluid directed, under high pressure,against a surface or object to be cleaned.

2. Description of the Prior Art Cleaning systems of the type impartingpulses to the flow of cleaning liquid are known, as shown in US. Pat.No. 2,947,312, issued Aug. 2, 1960, K. J. Heinicke, inventor, forexample. These systems employ a reed mounted centrally within a conduitwhich conducts the cleaning fluid. The reed is constructed in such amanner as to vibrate within the conduit and thus set up pulses in thecleaning fluid as it passes through the conduit. The pulsed fluid isthen directed, through a nozzle located at the end of the conduit,against the surface or object to be cleaned.

The known systems, however, do not operate satisfactorily when dirt isexceedingly difficult to remove from the surface or object to becleaned. The known systems operate at relatively low pressures, usuallyno higher than 300 psi. This pressure, however, is not sufficient toeffectively and efliciently remove a heavy accumulation of dirt andgrime from railway cars or buses, for example. In order to improve thecleaning efficiency, higher pressures are necessary. However, at higherpressures, the reed used in the known systems no longer vibrates toprovide a pulsing action to the washing fluid.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is the purpose of the present invention toprovide an improved cleaning method and an improved cleaning system forcarrying out the method which can,

under pressures of 750 psi or higher, generate a pulsed action to thewashing liquid in order to provide more efficient cleaning action. Theimproved system markedly reduces the amount of washing fluid requiredand the time required to clean a surface as compared to the knownwashing systems.

The invention is more particularly directed toward a cleaning systemwhich includes a fluid conduit having an outlet, means supplying fluidto the conduit, and means in the conduit upstream of the outlet forimpart ing pulses to the fluid flowing through the conduit. The pulseimparting means includes a thin, elongated plate member with mountingmeans on the member intermediate its ends for loosely mounting themember in the conduit to extend longitudinally and substantially axiallytherein. The member includes means upstream of the mounting means tocause vibration of the member as fluid flows past the member. Means arepositioned adjacent to and upstream from the upstream end of the memberfor restricting the flow of fluid through the conduit and for directingthe fluid in the form of a jet toward the upstream end of the member.

The plate or reed member includes a main section I lying in a planecontaining the longitudinal central axis of the conduit. The vibrationcausing means upstream of the mounting means of the member include afirst section extending from the main section of the reed at a firstangle to the plane of the main section. A second section extends in anopposite direction from the first section at a second angle to the planeof the main section. A third section extends in an opposite directionfrom the second section at a third angle to the plane of the mainsection. The leading upstream edge of the third section lies in theplane of the main section.

The combination of the flow restricting and directing means and thespecific shaped reed have been found to set up high frequency pulses inthe fluid being directed through the conduit at high pressure. The reedmember is loosely mounted in the conduit so as to have a very slightpivoting or wobble action about its point of mounting in order toimprove the pulsing action imparted to the fluid. If the reed is fixedlymounted, it has been found that no pulses are provided, even at highpressure.

While the improved means for providing pulses is found to operatesatisfactorily under a high pressure, there is an occasional tendencyfor the pulses to be provided intermittently or in bursts. Thisintermittent pulsing action has been found to be due to the variation inpressure of the fluid supplied by the supply means.

In order to maintain substantially continuous vibration of the reed andthus apply a continuous pulsing action to the washing fluid, means areprovided to supply the fluid at a more uniform pressure. One manner ofdoing this is to provide a double acting piston pump. Another solutionis to provide a quick acting accumulator located in the conduit betweenthe fluid supply means and the improved pulsing means.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention will now be described indetail having reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 discloses one embodiment of the improved washing system;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 2-2 of FIG. 1 showinga detail of the improved means for imparting pulses to the washingfluid;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 33 of FIG. 2 showingthe improved pulsing means in further detail; and

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 4--4 of FIG. 3.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The improved washing system 1comprises a supply source 3, such as a tank, of washing fluid. Thewashing fluid is usually water. A conduit 5 connects the supply sourceto a pump 7. The pump is selected to deliver the washing fluid under apressure of at least 750 psi, and preferably 1,200 psi, to a conduit 9having an outlet nozzle 11 at its other end for directing the fluidagainst the surface or object to be cleaned. The pump 7 preferably is apiston pump. Located in the conduit 9 between the nozzle and the pumpare means 13 for imparting pulses to the fluid. While the pulseimparting means 13 may be located anywhere in the conduit 9 between theoutlet nozzle 11 and the pump 7, it is preferred that it is locatedadjacent to the outlet nozzle 11 so as to reduce any damping of thepulses imparted to the fluid as it travels from the pulse impartingmeans through the conduit to the outlet nozzle 1 l.

The pulse imparting means 13 includes a thin, elongated plate member orreed 15 mounted within the conduit. Means 19 are provided for mountingthe reed 15 within the conduit 9 so that it extends in a longitudinalplane containing the longitudinal axis of the conduit 9.

The reed 15 must be loosely mounted within the conduit 9 to ensureeffective operation. By the term loosely, as used in this presentapplication, it is meant that the reed 15 is not rigidly connected atany point to its mounting within the conduit but rather is free to moveslightly relative to its mounting. To mount the reed 15 in this mannerin the conduit, the reed is provided with mounting means 19 in the formof laterally extending wings 21, 23. The wings 21, 23 extend a shortlateral distance from the side edges 25, 27 of the reed and are locatedintermediate its end edges 29, 31. A tubular sleeve member 33 is mountedwithin the conduit 9. The sleeve member 33 has slots 35, 37 in its sidewall 39 extending from the upstream end 41 of the sleeve member. Thereed 15 is mounted within the sleeve member 33 by sliding the wings 21,23 down the slots 35, 37 to the end of the slots. Preferably, the slots35, 37 have a width no more than a few thousandths of an inch greaterthan the thickness of the wings so that the reed is, therefore, looselymounted. The sleeve member 33, with the reed 15 in position, is thenmounted in a conduit section 43, which section can be coupled, bysuitable coupling means (not shown) at either end thereof, into theconduit 9. Preferably, the sleeve 33 is fixed within the conduit section43. The conduit section 43 can be readily removed to replace the reed15, if necessary.

The reed 15 includes means 45 upstream of its mounting means 19 forcausing vibration of the reed as the fluid flows past it. The vibrationcausing means 45 preferably includes first, second and third sections47, 49, 51 angularly joined together and extending, in sequence, in adirection upstream from a main section 17. The sections 47, 49 and 51are preferably formed by bending or crimping a portion of the reed,upstream from the mounting means 45, along bend lines 53, 55 and 57respectively. The first section 47 extends from the main section 17 at afirst angle A to the plane of the main section 17. The second section 49extends from the first section 47 in an opposite direction to thedirection of the first section 47 at a second angle B to the plane ofthe main section 17. The third section 51 extends from the secondsection 49 in an opposite direction to the direction of the secondsection 49 at a third angle C to the plane of the main section 17. Thefree leading upstream edge 31 of the third section 51, and thus of thereed, lies in the plane of the main section 17.

To further ensure the pulsing action imparted to the fluid by the reed,one or more apertures may be provided in the reed, particularly in thelocation of the vibration causing means 45. It has been found that theuse of one or more apertures in the reed at varying locations provideseffective means of controlling the compression and rarefaction of thefluid and thus the vibrations. The size of the apertures and theirlocations will be governed by the deflection loadings necessary to allowfor free vibration of the reed. In the embodiment shown, an opening 83,having a diameter of approximately one-fourth inch,when using a reedhaving a one-tenth inch thickness and located in the third section 51 ofthe reed, has been found acceptable.

The reed No. 15 preferably is made of pretempered carbon spring materialSAE 1,095 and tempered to a Brinell hardness of 52-50. The strip has athickness of approximately one-tenth inch. The angles at which thefirst, second and third sections 47, 49 and 51 extend relative to theplane of main section 17 are relatively shallow. However, the crimp orbend lines 53, 55, 57 separating the sections, are sharply defined.Joining the sections by rounded crimps to produce a wavy profile was notfound to be as effective as using sharply defined comersto provide avery shallow M shaped profile. Preferably, the sections 47, 49 and 51each decrease in length compared to the preceding section in theupstream direction. In one embodiment, using a sleeve with an innerdiameter of 0.824 and mounted in a conduit having an inner diameter of1.049, section 47 is one inch long, and section 49, three-fourths inchlong, and section 51, five-sixteenths inch long. The overall length ofthe reed is 4-5/16 inches and its width, excluding the wings, istwenty-three thirty-seconds inch. Preferably, the second angle B isequal but opposite to the third angle C. In the one embodiment, thefirst angle A is approximately 7 and the second and third angles B and Care approximately 25.

It is also necessary, in order to obtain an effective pulsing action ofthe reed at high pressure, to provide means 61 adjacent to but upstreamof the end edge 59 of the reed which restricts the flow through theconduit and also directs the fluid in the form of a jet toward theupstream edge 59 of the reed. These means comprise a plug member 63located within the conduit 9 adjacent the upstream edge 59 of the thirdsection 51 of the reed. The plug member 63 can be mounted in the conduitsection 43 by suitable means (not shown) and has an axial orifice 65 fordirecting the fluid supplied by the pump axially toward the reed. Theplug member 63 should have an orifice 65 to provide a jet of fluid whichdoes not diverge to any great extent. An orifice 65 which provides a jetdiverging no more than 40 (20 to either 'side of the longitudinal axisof the conduit) is acceptable. In the preferred embodiment, the jetdiverges 15. When using a sleeve member 33 which has an inside diameterof 0.824 inches, for example, the orifice 65 in the plug should beapproximately 0.125 inches upstream from the upstream edge 59 of thereed and approximately one-sixteenth inch in diameter.

In operation, fluid under a high pressure of at least 750 psi, andpreferably 1,200 psi, is provided by the pump 7 at one end of theconduit 9. The washing fluid passes through the orifice 65 in the plug63 to be directed against the upstream end of the reed 15. The fluid,being supplied by the piston pump, has a pulsing action already impartedthereto because of the pumping action. This pulsing action, togetherwith the angular configuration of the reed, is believed to set upvibrations in the loosely mounted reed. Once the reed has commencedvibrating, it is then believed that the reed imparts additional pulsesto the fluid and resonantly increases the frequency of pulses in thefluid as it flows from the orifice and past the vibrating reed. Why thevibrating reed, having the configuration described, imparts additionalpulses to the fluid and thus increases the frequency of the pulses isnot entirely understood. It is thought that the longitudinally spacedapart high points on the reed, defined by bend lines 53, 55 and 57,provide reinforcing pulses to the fluid as it splits and flows past thereed while it is vibrating, thus building up resonant frequencies in thefluid.

The reed, loosely mounted, can pivot or wobble slightly about itsmounting means 19. Thus, the rear or tail portion 67 of section 17,downstream from the mounting means 19, also moves up and down withrespect to the longitudinal axis of the conduit imparting further pulsesto the fluid. If the tail portion 67 is omitted, by mounting the reed atits downstream end, the pulsing action may cease.

The pulsed fluid travels through the conduit 9 and out the outlet nozzle11 in a continuous flow of bursts to provide a continuous series ofimpacts against the surface being cleaned. This, together with the highpressure, results in very efficient cleaning.

It has been found at high pressure operation that if the pressure variesa great deal from the average pressure delivered by the pump, there maybe periods in which the reed will stop vibrating for intermittentperiods of time, thus providing pulses in short bursts rather thancontinuously. This action is particularly noticeable when a singleacting piston pump is used to pump the fluid. While the average pressureof the water supplied may be at 1,200 psi, for example, the pressure mayactually vary from 1,000 to 1,400 psi because of the action of thereciprocating pump. 'With sudden drops in pressure from the averagepressure, the vibrations set up in the reed may cease during periods oflow pressure, and no additional resonant pulses will then be imparted tothe fluid. In order to provide continuous pulsing of the fluid by thereed, it is, therefore, desirable to provide means for supplying thefluid to the reed at more uniform pressure. A preferred manner in doingthis is to provide a double acting piston pump so that when one pistonis in the return stroke, and the other piston is on the pressure stroketo thereby reduce the range between the maximum and minimum pressures. Asuitable double acting piston pump is one manufactured by Frank WheatleyIndustries Ltd. under Model No. PIOOA. This double acting piston pumpreciprocates at 281 rpm thereby providing 562 strokes or impulses perminute. A further advantage in using a double acting piston pump is thatits inherent pulsing action will quickly return the vibratory action ofthe reed to its normal pitch after any sudden, unexpected drop inpressure, such as might occur with momentary blockage of the linesleading to the pump.

To further ensure pulsing at a more uniform pressure, an accumulator 71can be provided in the conduit 9 located between the pump 7 and thepulsing means 13 to further dampen the pressure surges. The accumulatoris a quick acting type, such as a gas accumulator.-

The accumulator 71 includes a short conduit 73 connecting a chamber 75to the main conduit 9. Located within the chamber 75 is an inflatablemember 77 filled with an inert gas such as nitrogen, for example. Anysurges in pressure are dampened by the accumulator, thus providing amuch more uniform pressure throughout the conduit 9 and ensuringcontinuous pulsing action of the reed. A suitable accumulator is onemanufactured by Greerolator Products, a Division of Greer HydraulicsInc., under Model No. A64523- 200. Preferably, both the double actingpiston pump and accumulator are used together.

A cut-off valve 79 may be provided adjacent the outlet norzle 11 so thatthe operator may shut off flow at any time. In view of the high pressurein the line, a pressure relief valve 81 should be provided in thesystem. The pressure relief valve 81 may be located between theaccumulator 71 and the pulsing means 13.

lclaim:

l. A cleaning system including a fluid conduit having an outlet, meanssupplying fluid to the conduit, means in the conduit upstream of theoutlet for imparting pulses to the fluid flowing through the conduit,said pulse imparting means including a thin, elongated plate member,mounting means on the member intermediate its ends for loosely mountingthe member in the conduit to extend longitudinally and substantiallyaxially therein, the member including means upstream of the mountingmeans to cause vibration of the member as fluid flows past the member,the member mounted within the conduit having a main section lying in aplane which includes the longitudinal axis of the conduit, saidvibration causing means including three sections extending angularly insequence upstream from the main section, and means adjacent to andupstream from the upstream end of the member for restricting the flow offluid through the conduit and for directing the fluid in jet form towardthe upstream end of the member.

2. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said vibration causing meansfurther includes one or more apertures in said angularly extendingsections.

3. A system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the mounting means includewings extending laterally from the main section intermediate its ends,and slots within the conduit for loosely receiving the wings.

4. A system as claimed in claim 3, wherein the slots are provided. in atubular sleeve member mounted within the conduit.

5. A system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the first of the threesections extends in a direction at a first relatively shallow angle tothe plane of the main section, the second of the sections extends in anopposite direction to the first section at a second relatively shallowangle to the plane of the main section, and the third of the sectionsextends in an opposite direction to the second section at a thirdrelatively shallow angle to the plane of the main section.

6. A system as claimed in claim 5, including an opening centrallylocated in the third section of the reed.

7. A system as claimed in claim 6, wherein the second and third anglesare substantially equal.

8. A system as claimed in claim 5, wherein the free upstream edge of thethird section lies in a plane containing the longitudinal axis of theconduit.

9. A cleaning system including a fluid conduit having an outlet,pulsating delivery means supplying fluid to the conduit, means in theconduit upstream of the outlet for imparting pulses to the fluid flowingthrough the conduit, said pulse imparting means including a thin,elongated plate member, mounting means on the member intermediate itsends for loosely mounting the member in the conduit to extendlongitudinally and substantially axially therein, the member includingmeans upstream of the mounting means to cause vibration of the member asfluid flows past the member, and means adjacent to and upstream from theupstream end of the member for restricting the flow of fluid through theconduit and for directing the fluid in jet form toward the upstream endof the member.

10. A system as claimed in claim 9, wherein the pulsating delivery meanscomprises a double acting piston pump.

11. A cleaning system including a fluid conduit having an outlet, meanssupplying fluid to the conduit, means in the conduit upstream of theoutlet for imparting pulses to the fluid flowing through the conduit,said pulse imparting means including a thin, elongated plate member,mounting means on the member intermediate its ends for loosely mountingthe member in the conduit to extend longitudinally and substantiallyaxially therein, the member including means upstream of the mountingmeans to cause vibration of the member as fluid flows past the member,and means adjacent to and upstream from the upstream end of the memberfor restricting the flow of fluid through the conduit and for directingthe fluid in jet form toward the upstream end of the member, includingan accumulator located in the conduit between the fluid supply means andthe pulse imparting means.

1. A cleaning system including a fluid conduit having an outlet, meanssupplying fluid to the conduit, means in the conduit upstream of theoutlet for imparting pulses to the fluid flowing through the conduit,said pulse imparting means including a thin, elongated plate member,mounting means on the member intermediate its ends for loosely mountingthe member in the conduit to extend longitudinally and substantiallyaxially therein, the member including means upstream of the mountingmeans to cause vibration of the member as fluid flows past the member,the member mounted within the conduit having a main section lying in aplane which includes the longitudinal axis of the conduit, saidvibration causing means including three sections extending angularly insequence upstream from the main section, and means adjacent to andupstream from the upstream end of the member for restricting the flow offluid through the conduit and for directing the fluid in jet form towardthe upstream end of the member.
 2. A system as claimed in claim 1,wherein said vibration causing means further includes one or moreapertures in said angularly extending sections.
 3. A system as claimedin claim 2, wherein the mounting means include wings extending laterallyfrom the main section intermediate its ends, and slots within theconduit for loosely receiving the wings.
 4. A system as claimed in claim3, wherein the slots are prOvided in a tubular sleeve member mountedwithin the conduit.
 5. A system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the firstof the three sections extends in a direction at a first relativelyshallow angle to the plane of the main section, the second of thesections extends in an opposite direction to the first section at asecond relatively shallow angle to the plane of the main section, andthe third of the sections extends in an opposite direction to the secondsection at a third relatively shallow angle to the plane of the mainsection.
 6. A system as claimed in claim 5, including an openingcentrally located in the third section of the reed.
 7. A system asclaimed in claim 6, wherein the second and third angles aresubstantially equal.
 8. A system as claimed in claim 5, wherein the freeupstream edge of the third section lies in a plane containing thelongitudinal axis of the conduit.
 9. A cleaning system including a fluidconduit having an outlet, pulsating delivery means supplying fluid tothe conduit, means in the conduit upstream of the outlet for impartingpulses to the fluid flowing through the conduit, said pulse impartingmeans including a thin, elongated plate member, mounting means on themember intermediate its ends for loosely mounting the member in theconduit to extend longitudinally and substantially axially therein, themember including means upstream of the mounting means to cause vibrationof the member as fluid flows past the member, and means adjacent to andupstream from the upstream end of the member for restricting the flow offluid through the conduit and for directing the fluid in jet form towardthe upstream end of the member.
 10. A system as claimed in claim 9,wherein the pulsating delivery means comprises a double acting pistonpump.
 11. A cleaning system including a fluid conduit having an outlet,means supplying fluid to the conduit, means in the conduit upstream ofthe outlet for imparting pulses to the fluid flowing through theconduit, said pulse imparting means including a thin, elongated platemember, mounting means on the member intermediate its ends for looselymounting the member in the conduit to extend longitudinally andsubstantially axially therein, the member including means upstream ofthe mounting means to cause vibration of the member as fluid flows pastthe member, and means adjacent to and upstream from the upstream end ofthe member for restricting the flow of fluid through the conduit and fordirecting the fluid in jet form toward the upstream end of the member,including an accumulator located in the conduit between the fluid supplymeans and the pulse imparting means.